Pinoy Blog Machine (Beta)

Inside

• Reports of World Physical Therapy Day activities around the world

Philippines



The Department of Physical Therapy at the College of Allied Medical Professions, University of the Philippines, celebrated national and World PT Day by organising poster presentations on critically appraised topics.

This activity was the first of its kind in Philippine physical therapy schools and aimed to promote evidence-based practice in the country. Members of the department mentored students on the scientific process of answering clinical questions from real patient cases.

The activity also enabled educators to share the department’s experience in teaching evidence- based practice at the undergraduate level.

The event was open to physical therapists and physical therapy students from various therapy and educational centres. More than 250 individuals attended.

Other Highlights in the Publication:

• Putting the ICF into practice
• WCPT’s European Region congress on lifelong learning
• Member organisation reports

Click here to download WCPT News October 2008.

On Twilight:

– I still haven’t seen this movie, btw. 

al0hapenny: sunday is the day i die, and if not, monday we buffet to death! imabloodyrockgod: parang twilight lang. dying in edwards arms is easier.
al0hapenny: potah, we may watch it tomorrow
imabloodyrockgod: omg omg omg ok. yun lang
imabloodyrockgod: i like the soundtrack! we must buy the album!
imabloodyrockgod: shet there’s this one scene na i hope you will flip
imabloodyrockgod: i dunno maybe its just me.
al0hapenny: i will watch it and TRY to contain myself
al0hapenny: baka mabatukan ako ni tj
imabloodyrockgod: i was distracted by the couple beside me
al0hapenny: baket
imabloodyrockgod: coz i kept on hearing weird noises, like groping, i dunno.
al0hapenny: hahahahaha :))
al0hapenny: what the hell, srsly?
imabloodyrockgod: yeah coz i heard..*whoosh*
imabloodyrockgod: and the girl say **sssshhh** 

On Gossip Girl and ~unmentionable~ things:

imabloodyrockgod: […..] together…coz… basta you’re like an “it” couple
imabloodyrockgod: hehehehe
imabloodyrockgod: parang serena and dan lang yan
imabloodyrockgod: xoxo
al0hapenny: eeew but i dont like dan
al0hapenny: i like blair and chuck
al0hapenny: hihihi

Manapa Beach

Agusan River scenery

I love long weekends but I love FREE tickets more. This trip is part of my FREE ticket hunting last September 19 when Cebu Pacific Air offered 50,000 domestic tickets for only PHP0.00 including taxes, administration fee and fuel surcharge.

We have received invitations from Zi Mei Events to attend the following pediatric courses in Australia.

A. Karen Stagnitti Play Workshops

Play and Early Literacy in the Early Years - 3rd to 4th February 2009, Brisbane (Suitable for Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists)

Learning through Play - 5th February 2009, 7pm – 9pm (supper included), Brisbane (Suitable for early education providers, childcare workers, special needs teachers and parents)

B. Understanding Visual Perceptual Skills in Children by Dr Chris Chapparo

18th – 20th February 2009
Angliss Conference Centre
Building A, Level 5, 555 La Trobe Street, Melbourne

For more information and/or registration, click here.

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT®) wishes to infom all concerned OTs about the following:

Certification Examination and Renewal Alert
GAITHERSBURG, Maryland – November 3, 2008

To enable NBCOT’s testing and certification renewal contractors to carry out essential administration updates, there will be an examination and certification renewal blackout period from December 19, 2008 - January 1, 2009. No online exam or renewal application or pending applications will be processed during this annual system maintenance period, however, hard copy paper applications will be accepted. Examination testing and certification renewal for 2008 will end on December 19th and resume on January 2, 2009.

For questions about the examination, please e-mail: onlineexamapp@nbcot.org. For questions about renewal, please e-mail: recert@nbcot.org.

—

NBCOT has created a new online tool for OTRs and COTAs to help keep track of their Professional Development Units.

NBCOT’s new online Professional Development Log Portal has been created to help you log and track the 36 Professional Development Units (PDU) needed to maintain current certification status with NBCOT as an Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) or Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA). Rather than maintaining a hard copy log of your professional development, this new online tool allows you to enter and maintain an electronic log which you can access 24 hours a day.

Start tracking your professional development activities using the new tool by clicking here.

For those who want to travel between January 1 to March 18 next year. You should book your tickets now as Cebu Pacific revived its 500-peso ALL-IN seat sale to all its domestic destinations and ZERO fare to all its international destinations.

The sale period starts NOW until November 30, 2008 only. More than 400,000 seats are being allotted for this seat sale. For more information just go to the airline’s website.

Autism Society Philippines (ASP) invites you to two seminars for the month of November.

When & Where
30 November 2008, Sunday
Asian Social Institute (ASI), 1518 L. Guinto Street, Malate, Manila, Philippines

A. Social Skills for Children with Autism

Time: 9AM - 12 noon
Speaker: Ms. Joji Reynes-Santos

B. Preparation for Better Handwriting

Time: 1:30 - 4:30 PM
Speaker: Anna Liza Yap-Tan Pascual, OTRP, OTR

Only 70 slots are available, so early registration is encouraged. For more information, please call the ASP at (632) 9266941 or 9298447.

Autism2008 is the latest Awares International Online Autism Conference. It will open on November 24, 2008 and will last for an entire week.

Autism2008 is a unique opportunity to put your questions directly to people with autism and international autism professionals. This year’s outstanding list of more than seventy speakers includes: Professor Simon Baron-Cohen (UK), Dr Gary Mesibov (USA), Dr Ami Klin (USA), Donna Williams (Australia), Dr Susan Folstein (USA), Merry Barua (India), Dr John Constantino (USA), Dr Carol Gray (USA), Dr David Skuse (UK), Dr Pamela Heaton (UK), Dr Glenys Jones (Wales), Dr Dawn Wimpory (Wales), Dr Wendy Keay-Bright (Wales), Stephen Shore (USA), Dr Roberto Canitano (Italy), Dr Manuel Casanova (USA), Dr Susanne Bejerot (Sweden), Chantal Sicile-Kira (USA), Dr Darold Treffert (USA), Dr Mayada Elsabagh (UK), Dr Sven Boelte (Germany), Nuala and Dale Gardiner (UK), Dr Robert DeLong (USA), Dr Dirk Dhossche (USA), Dennis Debbaudt (USA), Dr Cheryl Dissanayake (Australia), and Dr Amanda Ludlow (UK).

Topics will range from the genetics, neurology and immunology of autism, biomedical approaches, environmental issues, educational methods, autism in adolescents and adults and first-hand experiences of living with autism and Asperger’s syndrome.

Autism2008 is open to absolutely anyone with an interest in autism.

Abstracts of speakers’ papers will be available online from November 17, 2008, and the full papers from November 21.

An online Foyer Café will also be available for delegates to meet and discuss issues prior to the conference.

Autism2008 - the Awares International Online Autism Conference - is organised by Autism Cymru, Wales’ National Charity for Autism.

For more information, click here.

A. BEST PRACTICES FOR DESIGNING AND DELIVERING EFFECTIVE PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (November 21, 2008)

This seminar will address the complex and unique needs of children with ASD, parents, educators and other professionals who have been faced with problematic issues of choosing effective intervention methodologies.

B. TEACHING ORGANIZATION SKILLS TO PROMOTE ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT IN BEHAVIORALLY CHALLENGED STUDENTS (November 22, 2008)

Can organizational skills instruction (OSI) help students at risk behaviorally and academically? Students with learning challenges may not acquire essential skills unless they are provided with systematic direct instruction; youth who fail to apply organizational skills may not have had the opportunity to acquire them through an explicit instructional approach. This oversight places struggling students at increased risk for unsatisfactory or failing grades and tends to heighten misperceptions of their academic performance in relation to that of their more successful peers.

C. ADHD SOLUTION: DA VINCI METHOD (November 24, 2008)

The Da Vinci Method is designed with you in mind. While other ADD/ADHD therapies try to make you more like “normal” people, this therapy recognizes the greatness of your ADD/ADHD temperament and helps you to harness it.

Fee
PhP 1,000.00 per seminar
Inclusive of: Certificate/ Handouts /snacks/ lunch

When & Where
9 AM to 4 PM
R.E.A.C.H. Inc.
2F US Metromall Uniwide Sales, Pamplona, Las Piñas City, Metro Manila, Philippines

The Occupational Therapy Association of the Philippines (OTAP) invites you to this year’s general assembly. Details are as follows.

When & Where
November 23, 2008, Sunday
1.00 to 5.00 PM
MAB Hall, Medical Arts Building, Philippine Heart Center, East Avenue, Quezon City

About the Assembly
Auditory Integration Training as an alternative and complementary program and intervention is still the primary topic for the assembly. Michael Toledo, an Auditory Integration Training Specialist will be the primary speaker. An Occupational Therapist trained in AIT will also be available to relate the topic to the members of the association.

The last hour of this assembly will be used to launch the Special Interest Groups Program that aims to empower individual therapists working in the various practice settings in the country by associating them with peers who can share skills, techniques, and knowledge via group discussion. Each Group will be facilitated by therapists who are considered to be experts in the field. This program also aims to encourage the transition from traditional practice to evidence-based practice.

Fees
Early Bird Registration (until 20 November 2008) rates are as follows:
Students and Lifetime Members, Php 400.00;
Regular Members, Php 500.00;
Non-members and guests, Php 650.00.

On-Site Rates are as follows:
Students and Lifetime Members, Php 500.00;
Regular Members, Php 600.00;
Non-members and guests, Php 750.00.

For further inquiries, please contact OTAP through (63) 9052201267, (63) 9232479955, or get in touch with any of the OTAP officers.

Let us show our support to Autism Society Philippines’s Going GREEN for Autism Garage Sale on November 29-31, 2008 at Brgy. Hall Comp., Brgy. Greater Lagro, Q.C.

Suggested GARAGE SALE ITEMS to donate for Going Green for Autism

Used clothing/shoes/accessories:

• Washed/cleaned and dry
• Towels, face towels, hankies
• Cloth bags, school bags, ladies bags, pins
• Ladies, men, kids shoes, belts
• Gowns, costumes, etc.
• T-shirts, pants, pajamas, jackets, shorts, etc.

Old toys:

• Stuffed toys, dolls, cars, game boards, legos, game cards, robots, educational toys

Books/Magazines: (Family friendly)

• Children’s Books, encyclopedias, old school books, old magazines, newspapers

Household/Office Items (will be sold to junk shops/old furniture stores if defective)

• Computers, cell phones, fax, chargers, printers, telephones, tv, radio,  players:vcr, beta, dvd, flashlight, washing machines, refrigerator, freezer, distiller, chandelier, blender, iron, toaster, coffee maker, stereo component etc
• DVD, VCD, CD  (Family friendly)

Furniture and others:

• Tables, Chairs, sofa, cabinets, lounges, stools
• Vases, display items, paintings, steel file cabinets
• Christmas tree, décor, (No Christmas Lights)
• Plates, cups, glass, fork, spoon, (metal, ceramic or plastic)
• Food warmers, food containers cooking utensils, frying pans, pots, etc.
• Umbrellas baskets, trays Picture frame  Bottles, figurines, garden hose, flower pots

Collectible Items and Export Overruns

DELIVER GARAGE SALE ITEMS and receive AN AUTISM ANGEL CERTIFICATE
Rm. 307 ML Bldg., Bldg., 47 Kamias Road , Quezon City

Donors may also drop donations to:

Speciabilities Development Center
217 Biak na Bato St. Manresa, Q.C.

Clean City Commercial
646 Quezon Ave., Q.C.

Call ASP at 9266941 or 9298447 or send an email to autismphil@pldtdsl.net for more details. Let’s do our share and help build dreams.

Please note that some of the garage sale items will be bought and used by indigent families of children with autism in ASP Lagro Chapter. Thank you for your kind consideration.

Source: ASP

picture taken from the official website of Quantum of Solace

I guess that’s all it for my Cebu trip.

This course is suitable for any paediatric Bobath/NDT-trained therapist (OT/PT/SLT) as well as any non-Bobath/NDT-trained therapist who either work with young children (early intervention / <5s), hold a visiting therapist role, and/or work in NICU/SCBU and with babies.

Priority will be given to applicants who are practising in the early intervention field however all interested therapists are encouraged to apply.

Where and When
Three Kings/Epsom area, Auckland, New Zealand (to be confirmed)
Monday 16th – Saturday 21st March 2009 (6 days)

Fees
$1800.00 incl. GST (NZBA Inc members)
$2000.00 incl. GST (non-NZBA Inc members)

Lecturers
Jean Pierre Maes, Physiotherapist, Senior Bobath Tutor, Bobath Centre London. Course Leader and Betty Hutchon, Consultant Neurodevelopmental Therapist & Head Occupational Therapist, Royal Free Hospital, London.

Course Objectives
By the end of the course participants will:

• Be able to, or begin to, apply the Bobath concept in early assessment and intervention to include current views on early treatment and management.
• Extend their facilitation / handling skills through problem solving.
• Demonstrate an understanding of normal, abnormal, and atypical development for preterm (from 28 weeks gestation onwards) and term babies in the first year of life.
• Document observations of typically developing babies.
• Develop improved observation skills through participating in and observing case studies.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the neurological and developmental assessment tools / methods available to therapists in NICU and early intervention (such as neurological - Prechtl, behavioural - Brazelton and NIDCAP, and developmental – Bayley III, and others).
• Demonstrate an in depth knowledge and understanding of early patterns of brain damage,
  investigation methods, medication, and medical intervention.

Course format will include lectures on neurological and developmental assessment with video analysis, as well as daily treatment sessions followed by case presentations and practical demonstrations by a Senior Bobath tutor.

For further information, please click here or contact Carolyn Simmons Carlsson at kero.oskar@xtra.co.nz. Closing date for applications is on the 1st of December, 2008.

World COPD Day 2008 will take place on November 19 around the theme “Breathless not Helpless!” It is organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) and further supported by the International COPD Coalition and WONCA. Featured below is just one of the posters for patients and the public published by GOLD.

What is COPD?

COPD stands for “Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.”

• Chronic means it won’t go away.
• Obstructive means partly blocked.
• Pulmonary means in the lungs.
• Disease means sickness.

COPD is a common lung disease that blocks the airways, making breathing difficult. COPD is usually caused by smoking or exposure to fumes or very dusty places. Symptoms of COPD include coughing, bringing up phlegm or mucus, and getting short of breath.

If you are over 40 and have these symptoms, go see your doctor and ask about COPD! Many people have COPD and don’t know it. Some think their symptoms are just a natural part of the aging process. However, COPD is a life-threatening disease that will get worse if not treated.

A simple breathing test called spirometry can help diagnose COPD. The test is quick, painless, and can often be performed in your doctor’s office.

COPD can be treated! Although there is no cure, doctors can help you feel better and slow damage to your lungs. The earlier a diagnosis is made, the more effective the treatment will be.

COPD can be prevented! If you are a smoker, quitting smoking is the best way to prevent COPD or stop its progression. It is never too late to quit smoking!

World COPD Day 2008 in the Philippines will be celebrated through COPD/CARE/Stop Smoking Program.

2008 - COPD/CARE/Stop Smoking Program, UP-Philippine General Hospital

EVENT INFORMATION

Activities for Patients and the Public
1. November 17, 2008, Parade at UP-PGH compound.
2. November 18, 2008, Lay forum at AVR, UP-PGH
3. November 19, 2008, Poster-making contest for grandchildren of registered COPD patients.
4. November 20, 2008, COPD screening.
5. November 21, 2008, COPD lecture to students in St. Scholastica and St. Isabel.

Media Activities
Efforts are being made to achieve media coverage.

Participating Organizations
Pulmonary Fellows-In-Training of UP-PGH
Staff of Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program, UP-PGH
Employees from UP-PGH
COPD/CARE patients

CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr. Lenora C. Fernandez
Pulmonologist/Chairperson
COPD/CARE/Stop Smoking Program
UP-Philippine General Hospital, Taft Ave., Ermita, Manila 2000 Philippines
Telephone: 632-5218450; local 3157
Fax: 632-5218450; local 3157
Email: lenicfer@yahoo.com

Source: GOLD

As part of the 2009 Sports Physiotherapy Conference, the Moro-Splash Foundation Inc. Sports Rehabilitation Clinic and Advanced Clinical Rehabilitation would like to invite the public to a seminar-workshop titled Assessment and Treatment of the Cervical Spine: A Clinical Perspective. Target audience are Physical therapists, Athletic trainers, Human Movements Specialists, Educators, Clinicians, and Researchers.

When and Where
10-11 January 2009

Moro Lorenzo Sports Center
2nd Floor, Audio Visual Room
High School Grounds, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines

Course Objectives
1. Provide functional anatomy and biomechanics of the cervical spine
2. Provide clinical assessment and treatment tools for the different cervical conditions
3. Demonstrate and practice hands-on techniques for clinical applications with the different manual therapy techniques (Maitland, Mulligans etc and adjunct techniques (taping, etc)
4. Introduce clinical patterns of different cervical conditions and relating them to clinical reasoning

Course Schedule

Day 1 - Lecture
8:00am - 8:15am Introduction/Prayers
8:15am - 9:30am Functional Anatomy and Biomechanics of the Cervical Spine by Marvin G. Ventura, PT, MPhtySt(Sports Phty), OCS, CKTP
9:30am - 10:30am Clinical Models and Theories/Pain and Pain Modulation by Trina Lat, PTRP, MPhtySt(Sports Phty), Dip Rem Mas
10:30am - 10:45am BREAK
10:45am - 11:30am Evidences for Cervical Spine Rehabilitation (Assessment, Outcomes, etc.) by Aspi Caligopi, PTRP, MPhtySt (Sports Phty)
11:30am - 12:00pm Q and A
12:00pm - 1:00pm LUNCH
1:00pm - 3:00pm Clinical Reasoning of the Cervical Spine by Kristine Calimbas-Warren, PTRP, MHlthSc(Sports)
3:00pm - 3:30pm BREAK
3:30pm - 4:30pm Summing It Up in the Clinic; Subjective/Objective

Day 2 - Laboratory/Practicals
8:00am - 12:00pm Posture, MMT, Motor Control, AROM, PROM of the Cervical, Thoracic and Shoulder, PAIVMS, PPIVMS, Shearing
12:00pm - 1:00pm LUNCH
1:00pm - 4:00pm Treatment Techniques - Mobilizations, Taping Techniques, Etc.
4:00pm - 5:00pm Demonstration of Case Studies

Course Fee
Fee includes certificate and handouts. Course is limited to only 60 participants so early registration is encouraged.

Early Registration (On or before Dec 17, 2008)
Professional – Php 1,600*
PPTA member – Php 1,400*
Student – Php 1,200*

Late Registration (Dec 18. 2008 to Jan 9, 2009)
Professional – Php 1,800*
PPTA member – Php 1,600*
Student – Php 1,400*

* subject to tax

To register, kindly ring up the Moro-Splash Foundation Inc. Sports Rehabilitation Clinic at (632) 927-7726, local 3. Look for either Zheillah Villuga and Dha-Dha Gonzalez. For more information, you may also send an email to morolorenzo_sportscenter@yahoo.com.

About the Speakers

Marvin Ventura, PT, MPhtySt (Sports Phty), OCS, CKTP
Marvin is a Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS) of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and a Certified Kinesiotaping practitioner. He is currently working in the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago as a physical therapist seeing orthopedic, sports and neurological patients. He graduated from the University of Santo Tomas in 1997 and finished his Masters in Physiotherapy Studies Major in Sports Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland in 2000. He is also one of the peer reviewers of the Philippine Journal for Allied Health Sciences. An advocate for the profession, Mr. Ventura has been conducting seminars since 2001.

Kristine Calimbas-Warren, PTRP, MHlthSc (Sports)
Kristine is the head physiotherapist of the Moro Splash Foundation, Inc sports clinic. She is currently teaching at FEU, school of physical therapy. She is also a consultant for Adidas, Philippines and for Plinky Recto’s the bodyworker pilates studio. She graduated from the University of Santo Tomas and finished her Masters in Health Science in Sports Therapy from the University of Sydney.

Trina Lat, PTRP, MPhtySt(Sports Phty), Dip Rem Mas
Trina is a graduate of the University of Santo Tomas and is a registered physiotherapist in the Philippines and Australia. She completed a post-graduate degree in sports physiotherapy in 2005 from the University of Queensland and she is currently undergoing the process of being titled sports physiotherapist in Australia. She has also obtained a Diploma in Remedial Massage from the Australian College of Natural Medicine in 2006. Trina is working for PhysioTec physiotherapy, a private practice owned by known hip specialist Alison Grimaldi, and specializes in the hip and lower limb injuries.She has also worked with Mayne Tigers, an Australian Rules Football team for
the past 4 years as a sports trainer and physiotherapist.

Aspi Caligopi, PTRP, MPhtySt (Sports Phty)
Aspi has a bachelor’s degree in physical therapy from the University of Santo Tomas and a Masters Degree in Sports physiotherapy from the University of Queensland. He has been involved with the Moro Lorenzo Sports Medicine Unit since 2005 as a physiotherapist and conducts sports coverage work. He was a level 1 personal trainer in fitness first.

Better late than never! Here is a summary of all our articles for the third quarter of the year. If you missed out on a few, we are sure the list below will be of great help.

July 2008

• 30th National Disability Prevention and Rehabilitation Week
• AngTherapist.com 2nd Quarter 2008
• “Y2K” (Year 2 Kids with Down Syndrome) Seminar
• New Vision for WFOT
• Specialist Certification
• ASP Holds Seminars in July 2008
• Medicare Updates from APTA and AOTA
• Seminar-Workshop on Neuro Differential Diagnosis
• Post-Graduate Course on Neurological Rehabilitation
• More Medicare Updates
• 6th Pan-Pacific Conference on Rehabilitation
• Seminars from Protégé SPED Center
• Seminar-Workshop on Functional Taping
• On Getting Jobs
• National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for the Health Professions in Australia
• APTA Preview 2020
• BBC medical series seeks physio input
• Revised standards of conduct, performance and ethics from the HPC
• July 2008 Physical and Occupational Therapy Licensure Examination Results
• July 2008 Physical and Occupational Therapy Licensure Exam Top Notchers

August 2008

• 3-Day Advanced Therapeutic Listening with the Whole Body Workshop
• WCPT News July 2008
• Workshop on Tone Influencing Patterns for Feeding and Oromotor Function
• The State of Continuing Competency: NBCOT®’s 14th Annual State Regulatory Conference
• “Tummy Time” for Babies
• 2009 NBCOT Exam Candidate Information
• Medicare RUG level
• CSP Congress 2008
• 7th Annual Allen Cognitive Symposium - Boston 2008
• Speech Pathology Week in Australia
• The First North Luzon Child Care Development Convention
• Seminar-Workshop on the Thoracic Region: Manual Therapy Evaluation and Treatment Techniques
• 1st Asia-Pacific CBR Congress
• Philippine Association for Behavioral Analysis Conference
• Tools for Living Well
• Teaching patients Alexander technique has long-term benefits
• Autism Society Philippines Updates: Colors of Autism Spectrum & Alyana
• Series of Seminars from Laro, Lapis at Libro Center for Learners
• World Physical Therapy Day

September 2008

• Invitation to Evidence-based Practice Activity at UP-CAMP
• Workshop: A Critical and Analytical Approach (CAA) for OT interventions
• “Brain Gain with No Pain” Seminar
• Robotic Suit Offers Alternative to the Wheelchair
• Therapy Secrets: What Works At Home
• Filipino Sign Language Class in DLS-CSB
• National School Backpack Awareness Day
• 2009 Neuro-IFRAH(R) Courses in San Francisco, California USA
• PWD accessibility in SM Marikina
• Seminar for Teachers, Nurses and Parents, and Workshop for Therapists: Assessment and Management of the Child with Cerebral Palsy
• Cerebral Palsy Awareness and Protection Week
• DIY Therapy Seminar for Parents and Caregivers
• The Spiegel Lectures
• National Women’s Health & Fitness Day
• Global Forum for Inclusion 2008
• National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
• SPD Foundation 7th International Symposium

When and Where
December 4-7, 2008
Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites
Los Angeles, CA, USA

Conference Attendees
The NTI attracts multidisciplinary professionals working in mental health, early intervention, early care and education, child welfare, family support, social services and healthcare.

Upcoming 2008 Conference Highlights

• Dr. T. Berry Brazelton will be the speaker for the opening plenary.
• The Emotional World of Infants and Toddlers - This plenary will look at research discoveries during the past two decades that offer a vivid new portrayal of infants. Presenters will explore profound early insights into mental states that very young children achieve during the first two years of life.
• Policy Initiatives to Address the Needs of the Most Vulnerable Infants and Toddlers - Presenters in this plenary will describe ways in which we can design policies that address the needs of both children living in poverty and children of immigrant families that can also support the healthy development of all children.
• Group Care in the US: Past, Present & Future Opportunities to Improve Quality Care - The third plenary will offer a lively dialogue among leading voices in the field on the history of group care for infants and toddlers, the obstacles we have faced over the years in providing high quality group care and current efforts and progress to overcome these challenges.

For more information on this event, click here.

Nov. 5 front pages of the San Francisco Chronicle and The Topeka Capital-Journal courtesy of the Columbia Journalism Review (CJR). Front pages of other newspapers here.

Below is the victory speech of President-elect Barack Obama, courtesy of Tonyo Cruz.

Victory speech of President-elect Barack Obama
Source: Tonyo Cruz
Nov. 5, 2008

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen; by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the very first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different; that their voice could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled — Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been a collection of red states and blue states: We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

Read here for more.

Here’s Sen. John McCain’s concession speech, also from Tonyo:

Concession speech of Sen. John McCain, Republican candidate in the 2008 US presidential elections
Source: Tonyo Cruz
Nov. 5, 2008

(Cheers, applause.)

SEN. MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you, my friends. (Cheers, applause.) Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening. (Cheers, applause.)

My friends, we have — we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama — (boos) — to congratulate him — (boos) — please — to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

Read here for more.

Below is a quick look by CJR at the analyses of several major news organizations on the economic change likely under an Obama administration.

Audit Roundup: Obamanomics
Bloomberg on what’s in store; Challenges galore, says the Times; etc.
By Ryan Chittum
Nov. 5, 2008

Bloomberg, better than the Journal, Times, or Post, looks ahead to the economic change likely under an Obama administration.

The Democratic president-elect has much more on his agenda, amounting to what may be the broadest overhaul of the U.S. economy since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. Beyond job creation and big investments in public works, Obama intends to shift the tax burden back toward the wealthy, roll back a quarter-century of deregulation, extend health-care coverage to all Americans and reassess the U.S. government’s pursuit of free- trade deals.

“The changes will be far greater than many expect,” said Andrew Laperriere, managing director at International Strategy & Investment Group, a money management and research firm in Washington. “From taxes to energy to health care, it’s a pretty sweeping agenda.”

But the Journal is good in looking at the “cooler climate” Big Business is expecting from Obama.

What appears to worry business interests most is the possibility that a Democratic Congress and a Democratic White House will shift the balance of power between employers and unions back in favor of unions, after two decades or more in which unions have been in retreat.

Click here for the the full post. Hat tip to Media Channel for flagging this post. Media Channel also points readers to this insightful piece by David Hincley of the Daily News of New York City on the U.S. television coverage of the 2008 presidential elections.

Election night reveals a whole new reality in network TV coverage
By Daily News

After 18 months of unrestricted projection, speculation and analysis about how America would vote in the 2008 presidential election, TV was stuck last night with the actual information.

It did the best it could.

Read here for more.

1. Free baggage allowance is 15 kilos (the usual for Economy Class is 20 kilos)
2. No meals (only water for domestic flights) (free soda, juice, water, coffee, tea & peanuts for international sectors)
3. No headsets
4. Infants and children travelling with adults holding EconoLight tickets will also have no amenities (No Bassinets/No Milk)
5. Not applicable for passengers who require special handling
6. No advance seat reservations
7. No Mabuhay Lounge Access regardless of membership level
8. Tickets are non-refundable, non-rebookable and non-reroutable

What??? No meals? As EconoLight passengers will be seated on the last row of the aircraft then I just might as well get used to just inhaling the smell of the newly heated meals in the galley which is only a few feet away from my seat for nearly 4 hours when I go to Jakarta because I am not entitled to a meal. At least you can munch that free peanuts all you want. Even if you may be not a fan of airline food, a box of bland piping hot chicken looks so much yummy than the ham sandwich bought from the airport concessionaire and has been in your carry-on for 6 hours already.

This EconoLight Class are for able bodied passengers only. It’s so sad to know that my 84-year old grandfather and my cousin inflicted with polio cannot get cheap tickets for EconoLight Class because of their physical condition as they will have a hard time walking up to the last row of an aircraft. They should be contented with their regular Economy Class airfare.

EconoLight seats when utilizing an Airbus A330 aircraft for some flights to/from Cebu, Davao and selected regional destinations

Another thing, EconoLight Class are not for diabetics unless you want to starve for 3-4 hrs. when you go to Jakarta, Singapore or Bangkok. On the bright side, passengers can bring their own food. I love picnics 30,000 feet above sea level!

I’m sure that passengers don’t care not having Philippine Airlines facilities and services when they buy a Cebu Pacific ticket because they know that they will ALL receive the same services and treatment inside a Cebu Pacific airplane. That is why there is also a curtain separating the business class passengers with the rest of the cattle class so that the airline can make their pampering service discreetly from the rest of the economy class. Maybe there will be also a curtain which would separate the EconoLight Class passenger in the last row of the airlplane in able for them not to smell the ubiquitous airline food being served to non-EconoLight passengers.

If passengers want a budget airline airfare with budget airline services and treatment then why should they fly with Philippine Airlines which in the end will only serve them as if they are riding a Cebu Pacific airplane? And in the first place not all EconoLight airfares are lower than Cebu Pacific airfares.

Well, it all boils down to this… would I try this EconoLight thing? Yes, why not, moreover if the EconoLight airfare is more competitive than Cebu Pacific and with better time of arrival/departure in my intended destination. I don’t also mind seating on the last row of the aircraft. Many even believe that the safest part of an aircraft during an emergency landing or other situations is on the tail end. That is also why the black box is located at the back because there is where it can most likely to survive an accident. I would definitely try this EconoLight thing in one of my future flights but definitely not in any flight more than 2 hours.